A Hero's Tale in Cyrodiil
by skyone2009
Summary: My tale of the Hero of Kvatch in Cyrodiil during the Oblivion Crisis
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Elder Scrolls nor the lore in the universe.**

* * *

_A Hero's Tale_

Based on Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Prologue

_4E 20, 15__th__ day of Second Seed_

It was a warm sunny day in the city of Anvil, which lies on the coast of the Abecean Sea in the Imperial Province of Cyrodiil. Dominating the glorious skyline of the city stands a beautiful stone chapel known as the Great Chapel of Dibella. The chapel is where followers of the Nine Divines seek the blessing of Dibella, the Goddess of Beauty.

Several citizens are walking the streets going about their normal routines with the exception of one. He is a short light skinned Breton dressed in leather breeches and a white cotton shirt. The half-elf, known as Dimitri Perrick, is strolling down Main Street passed the Mage's and Fighter's Guilds on the right and Morvayn's Peacemakers store on his left. He is carrying a satchel full of quills, some ink pots, blank parchment and some leather bound books. Perrick works for the Black Horse Courier, the Imperial newspaper of Cyrodiil, and is on his way to the largest house in all of Anvil – the Benirus Manor.

Perrick is interviewing the owner of the manor, a Nord by the name of Kalthar Dark-Heart. Dark-Heart has been known by many names for the last twenty years, such as the "Hero of Kvatch", the "Savior of Bruma", and the "Champion of Cyrodiil". Today will be the first time ever that the Hero of Kvatch has actually spoken to a reporter about his role in the Oblivion Crisis, his meeting with the illegitimate son of Emperor Uriel Septim VII, Martin and how both of them forever sealed the daedric prince Mehrunes Dagon in the demonic world of Oblivion.

The manor is at the end of Main Street and Perrick notices that all of Anvil's citizens are bustling about the Market Square in preparations of a festival to celebrate the end of the Oblivion Crisis twenty years ago. The Breton opens a small wooden gate and walks briskly up the walkway towards the front door of Benirus Manor, home to the Hero of Kvatch.

_Today, my life will change forever. No more writing about petty thieves and dirty beggars in the Elven District of the Imperial City. Today I get my big break, _the Breton thought to himself.

He stood before an ornately carved wooden door, raised his fist and knocked loudly.


	2. Chapter 1: The Tale Unfolds

Chapter 1:

"The Tale Unfolds"

There was a loud rapping sound coming from the front door of the Benirus Manor. A tall slender Nord woman with flaxen hair opens the door to see a short light skinned Breton standing on the porch. The Breton is wearing leather breeches, a white cotton shirt and is carrying a leather satchel full of quills, parchment and other items. His dark brown wavy hair falls to his shoulders and has been neatly combed.

"Yes, may I help you?" the Nord woman asks.

"I am Dimitri Perrick of the Black Horse Courier and I am here to see Kalthar Dark-Heart, the Hero of Kvatch," he stated politely.

"My father hates it when people call him that. Please come in," she says.

"My apologies, I did not realize that he disliked being called a hero. Anyway I have an appointment with your father," Perrick said as he entered the manor.

"My father is upstairs in his study on the second floor. I will show you the way."

"Thank you, my dear. Alas, what is your name?" he asked.

"I am Rauha," she stated .

Perrick follows Rauha through an archway on to the right of the front door that leads to a dining room complete with a large oaken table and four sturdy oaken chairs. Rauha leads Perrick through another archway on the left and to the stairs leading to the second level of the manor. They walked down a short hallway where Rauha stopped before a wooden door on the right and tapped upon it quietly.

"Come in," said a stern but polite voice on the other side.

Perrick entered the small study and Rauha closed the door silently behind him. A man was sitting behind a mahogany desk reading a tome bound in dark leather. Kalthar Dark-Heart looked up and Perrick noticed an old battle scar going down the left side of his face from the top of his ear to his jawline. His light brown hair had turn mostly grey and was hanging loosely down halfway down his neck. The Nord's ice blue eyes seemed to bore a hole through Perrick all the way to his soul.

"Ah, Mister Dimitri Perrick," Kalthar said. "Please have a seat."

Perrick was waved to a large leather covered chair and sat down.

"My thanks, sir. As you know I am here on behalf of the Black Horse Courier and the upcoming festival celebrating the anniversary of the end of the Oblivion Crisis."

"You are really here hoping to get the biggest scoop of the new era and make a grand name for yourself," Kalthar blurted.

"Ahh…ahh," Perrick stuttered.

"Do not look ashamed that is why I invited you here, today. To tell my story before I pass on Sovngarde where I will feast and drink within the Halls of Heroes with my old friends and family," Kalthar stated.

"Eh, Sir Dark-Heart where in your tale of the Oblivion Crisis would you like for me to begin?" Perrick asked.

"First off, please call me Kalthar or just Kal as all my friends do," He stated proudly.

Kalthar sat back in his mahogany leather chair with his fingers clasped together under his chin and began to think where the story officially began.

After a few moments of silence, Kalthar said, "Well my story begins a few days before the assassination of Emperor Uriel Septim VII in Imperial City…"

* * *

Kalthar was sitting at a table in Luther Broad's Boarding House in the Elven Gardens District of the Imperial City doing his best to best his best friend and comrade Skarsog gro-Kharbuk in an ale drinking contest. But it was a losing battle as the Orc had a great constitution and could down nearly three mugs of ale to Kal's one and a half. Kal and Skar had just made it into Imperial City only this afternoon after a month's long trek from Skyrim where they had been hired by some merchant to protect his caravan from the city of Solitude to Markarth. The two warriors had chosen to leave the merchant's employ after filling their purses with gold and to seek their fortune in the south in the Imperial province of Cyrodiil.

Kal was a long way from his homeland but the capital of Cyrodiil was a warmer and busier place than his home in the small village of Dragon Bridge in Skyrim. Skar on the other hand was enjoying his journey as he was on a quest to be the biggest and baddest Orc warrior in his clan. He was from the Orc Stronghold of Mor Khazgur located to the west of Solitude in the far western reaches of Haafingar Hold. Skar was tagging along to prove himself as one, if not the, greatest Orc Berserkers of his clan and to kill as many bandits and vagrants as possible.

This afternoon Kal was losing the contest with his friend but everyone around them was having a good time, even the serving wench sitting on his lap. She was a dark haired Imperial girl wearing a brown dressing and cheering him on to finish this last tankard. The raucous noise of the friends trying to out drink each other was starting to wear thin on the City Watch who were in the tavern to have a drink with comrades.

"Quiet down, over there!" shouted one of the guards.

"Nos yous shuts it, you filthy Imperial. I am drinking wis me friend," the drunk Orc shouted back.

"Now Skar, der is nos need fer calling dem filthy. Dey just stupid and don't know who dey mommas is," laughed the equally drunk Kalthar.

Well that did not sit too well with the four burly guards of the Imperial City Watch. They stood up and walked over to the table where Kalthar and Skarsog were laughing and belching while they were downing more tankards of ale.

"You two have had enough," said one of the guards in an authoritative voice. He was wearing the steel plate armor with the markings of Captain on his shoulders.

"Enough? I's tells you wats, youse momma is a stinking skeever!" shouted Kalthar.

"Yeah, whose laid wis an ugly ass goblin," Skarsog laughed.

The captain's face turned crimson red and he slammed the back of his gloved fist into the face of the Nord warrior. Kalthar was knocked backwards out of his chair and onto the floor. His flagon of ale flew into the air spilling its contents onto the serving wench and himself. At that moment the Orc jumped up from the table and slammed his meaty fist into the face of the nearest guard. The guard's head jerked to the side and he crumpled in a heap on the floor. The guard's two comrades quickly drew their steel swords and charged at the Orc.

Kalthar rolled to the right just as the Captain's foot was coming down towards his chest. Kalthar stood up facing the Imperial guard captain and threw a haymaker with his right fist towards the captain's face. The captain easily dodged the blow and kicked at Kalthar's legs causing him to fall to the floor once more. Kalthar quickly rolled backwards and stood up to assess the situation. He looked over at Skar to see how well he was faring and saw that he was being beaten backwards towards a corner by two guards brandishing steel swords. Kalthar decided at that moment to forget the captain and he charged at the guard farthest from Skar. Kalthar lunged and tackled the guardsman to the ground and bashed his head into the stone floor.

The other guard ignored the noise behind him intent on knocking this big ugly Orc out. Skar bent his knees readying for the strike that he knew was coming from the Breton guard before him. Just as he expected the guard raised the sword clenched in his fist back and aimed it at the Orc's head. Skar dodged to the left and caught the guard's hand still clenching the sword and hit him square in the face with it. The guard fell to the floor unconscious. Skar moved to help his friend Kal deal with the captain.

A sharp whistle blew and both Kalthar and Skarsog grasped their ears with their hands. After the noise subsided they both looked up and stared straight into the face of the captain of the City Watch and a reserved of a dozen watchmen, with their swords pointed at the two warriors.

"Dis is a good day to die," Kalthar stated looking at his big green friend.

"No I think not," the Captain said. "You will surrender!"

The Orc threw his head back and bellowed a deep might bellow. The two comrades started laughing and charged the soldiers. The fight was over quickly as the Captain and his soldiers subdued the warriors and slapped them in iron wrists.

"Off to the Imperial Prison for these two for public drunkenness and attacking the City Watch. Lock them in the deepest and dankest hole you can find" the Captain of the Watch said.

"Yes, sir, right away sir," the Sergeant said


	3. Chapter 2 Prison Break

Chapter 2:

"Prison Break"

Kalthar awoke with a groan and raised his head slightly. A sharp pain ran through his head all the way down to his side. He sat up and looked around realizing that he had been sleeping on a hard stone bed carved out of the wall in the cell that he was in. Kalthar heard heavy breathing coming from behind him and looked around to see that his friend Skar was doing push-up on the floor.

_So we were put into the same cell together_, he thought.

Kalthar sat up and groaned again, this time a little more loudly. Skar stood up and said, "Ah…so you are awake now. How do you feel?"

"I feel like someone has used my body as a punching bag."

"Well that is an understatement. We got ourselves into a real good fight in that tavern, but we came out on the losing end to the City Watch and a squad of their reinforcements," Skar said.

"I sort of remember that. The last thing I do remember is someone slapping some shackles on my wrists," Kal muttered.

"The guards dragged you all the way from the tavern to the Imperial Prison and you were scratching and kicking the whole way. Even said some unpleasant things about the Watch Captain's mother," Skar said.

"Which only got you strung up by those chains over there on the wall in front of you. Then the Captain and some of his men beat you with a club for hours," Skar continued.

Kalthar stood up from the bed and almost fell if it weren't for Skar being there to steady him on his feet. He waited for the pain in his whole body to subside looked around the small stone cell. To his right was a small table with a chair, which he immediately grabbed the back of to steady himself. Directly in front of him were the steel bars of the cell door that locked them inside. Skar sat down on the stone bed as Kalthar walked towards the cell door for a better view of the dungeon.

In the cell across from his he notice a dark skinned white haired man within it. Kalthar studied the middle aged Dunmer, or dark elf, by the looks of him. As Kalthar reached the steel bars the Dunmer spoke.

"My, my, you're a big one. A Nord, I'd guess, right? So strong…but you can't bend steel, can you boy? You can't do anything to get out of here.

"And those big muscles?" the dark elf continued. "They're going to waste away. When the end comes, you won't even have the strength to cry for your mother."

"Hey shut up, you stupid elf. What do you know of my mother?" Kalthar shouted.

"That's right. You're going to die in here," he continued ignoring the comment by Kalthar. "You hear me, Nord? You're going to die in here along with that dumb Orc brute friend of yours!"

There was the sound of a door opening coming from the top of the stairs to right of Kalthar's cell.

"Hey, you hear that? The guards are coming…for you! Not for poor ole Valen Dreth. Coming for a big lumbering Nord and a dumb Orc. He he he," Dreth cackled.

"Baurus lock that door behind us," a feminine voice said authoritatively.

"Yes, sir," a man replied.

"My sons…they're dead, aren't they?" asked another man. The voice was older and tinged with worry.

"We don't know that, Sire. The messenger only said they were attacked," the female voice replied.

Kalthar saw a dark skinned Redguard in shiny steel armor walking down the steps followed closely by a tall regal man wearing red and violet robes. The older man had shoulder length grey hair and replied, "No, they're dead. I know it."

The man in the robes was followed by a woman also wearing shiny steel armor who must be the Captain, Kalthar mused by the authority in her voice. She was followed by an Imperial in the same armor.

"We've got company," Kalthar whispered to his friend.

"Good. I have been aching for another round with those guards," the Orc said.

"My job right now is to get you to safety," the woman spoke as they approached Kalthar and Skar's cell.

"I know this place…the prison?" the man stammered.

"Yes, your Majesty. Beneath the Legion Compound. We're headed for a secret passageway known only to the Blades. No one can follow us through here," the Captain replied.

"What're these prisoners doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits," she commanded.

"Usual mix up with the watch. I…" stammered the Imperial.

"Never mind. Get that gate open," the Captain commanded. "Stand back prisoner. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

"Prisoners! Stand aside," the guard named Baurus shouted. "Over by the window. Both of you stay out of the way, and you won't get hurt."

Baurus unlocked the cell door and entered the cell followed closely by the older man, the Captain and the other guard. Baurus stood directly in front of Kalthar and Skar blocking their path to the now open cell door. He stood rigid with his hand on the hilt of a very fine sword that was hanging at his side. Kalthar studied the sword with great interest and realized that it was a famed Akaviri Katana. The katanas were said to have been crafted during a war long ago between the continents of Tamriel and Akavir. The continent of Akavir, also known as "Dragon Land", is a landmass east of Tamriel, so says the history books that Kalthar's mother made him read when he was younger.

"No sign of pursuit, sir!" stated the other guardsman to the Captain.

"Good. Let's go. We're not out of this yet," the Captain replied.

The Captain walked to the far corner of the room and regarded the prisoners sternly. The man in the robes stepped forward and said, "You…I've seen both of you…"

The Redguard stepped forward and stood directly in front of Kalthar and Skar.

"Let me see your faces," he said. "You and your friend are the ones from my dreams. Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength"

"What's going on," Skar said in his deep throaty voice.

The man looked at the Orc and said, "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through this very cell."

"Who are you?" Kalthar asked.

"I am your emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are citizens of Tamriel and shall serve her in your own way," the Emperor replied.

Kalthar and Skar started to bow but the Emperor said, "There is no need for formality here at this time. I must leave now with my Blades."

"We go our own way," Kalthar stated firmly.

"So do we all. But what path can be avoided whose end is fixed by the almighty Gods?" the emperor queried.

"Please, sire, we must keep moving," the captain said.

"By all means, Captain Renault. Lead on," the Emperor stated.

Captain Renault then pushed on a stone in the far corner of the room. A loud rumbling sound comes from the alcove next to Renault and the wall suddenly moves, revealing a secret passageway leading out of the cell.

"And to think that the way to our freedom was here the whole time," Skar said with a chuckle.

Renault walked forward and said, "Better not close this one. There's no way to open it from the other side."

The Imperial, who had been standing by the cell door, walked past Kalthar, Skar and Baurus towards the secret passageway. He looked at the prisoners and stated, "Don't try anything. I am watching you."

"Looks like this is your luck day, prisoners. Just stay out of our way," Baurus stated firmly.

The Emperor and his Blades entered the secret passageway that lead downwards. Skar and Kalthar followed behind at a distance. The passageway leading out of the cell appeared to have been carved out of rock as if they were in a cave. There was light coming from farther down in the passage. As Kalthar and Skar followed the Blades they entered into a dimly lit stone passage. The party turned the corner and Kalthar and Skar continued to follow them.

A set of stairs led downwards through an archway that was lit by torches hanging in sconces. The Nord and Orc followed the Blades and the Emperor through the small archway and turned the next corner which led into a small room with stone columns that arched at the ceiling. Kalthar had a sense of dread and thought that the place felt like he was in a tomb. This place reminded him of the Hall of the Dead back in Solitude.

A column stood in between two sets of stairs descending to the next level. Captain Renault and the Imperial suddenly drew their swords and ran towards the stairs in front of them. Baurus drew his sword and rushed to the stairs on the left of the column. Kalthar could not see anything in the dim light, then all of a sudden there was a flash of red and three warriors clad in a dark black armor with red capes and wielding wicked looking maces appeared from nowhere. Skar roughly pushed passed Kalthar to join the fray.

Kalthar watched as Baurus and Skar took one of the attackers down. Another flash of red and the man that they killed was now wearing a set of red hooded robes.

_Conjured body armor_, Kalthar thought to himself. He then rushed forward to assist Renault and the other guard who were fighting the other two attackers. But before he reached them Renault had been slain by one of the attackers. Skar was there in a blink of an eye and smashed his head against the other column. Baurus helped the other guard take down the last attacker.

"Are you all right, Sire?" Baurus asked. "The assassins are all dead. We're clear for now."

"Captain Renault?" the Emperor asked.

"She's dead. I'm sorry, sire, but we have to keep moving. Please follow Glenroy, he will lead us out," the Redguard stated.

The Emperor nodded and looked at Kalthar and said cryptically, "There is trouble ahead."

"How could they be waiting for us here?" Baurus asked the Imperial guard called Glenroy.

"Don't know. But it's too late to go back now," Glenroy responded.

Kalthar searched the body of Captain Renault and retrieved her Akaviri katana and a steel short sword. He tossed the katana to Skar and said, "It's not a great sword like you are used to but it will have to do."

Skar swung the katana experimentally and stated, "It has a great balance and is very sharp. It will do just fine, Kal."

Kalthar secured the short sword to his waist and began to search the assassins. Kalthar and Skar did not find anything of use on the bodies of the assassins, so they headed back to the Emperor and the Blades. The Blades were standing in front of a metal grate discussing how the assassins found them.

"They won't be the first to underestimate the Blades," Baurus proclaimed.

"I'll take point. Let's move," said Glenroy.

Baurus turned towards the two prisoners and said in an authoritative voice, "Stay here prisoners. Do not try to follow us."

The Redguard entered through the doorway, closing and securing the door behind him.

"I guess we are on our own," Kalthar stated.

"That's fine by me. Those Blades were kind of stuffy anyways," Skar commented.

"Let's look around for a way out of here," Kalthar said.

The two warriors began to look around the room but all they saw were stone walls and columns. Skar walked over to the wall to the right of the stairs and sat down disgustedly. He leaned back resting on the wall. He had just closed his eyes when the stones suddenly moved and he landed flat on his back in a dirt floored room.

"Kal," he exclaimed. "Come and look at this."

Kalthar rushed over and helped his friend to his feet. "It looks like a secret underground tunnel. Maybe it leads out of the prison," he mused.

"I hope so," Skar agreed. "I will take the lead."

And the two warriors walked deeper into the tunnels running underneath the Imperial Prison hoping that they would find an exit and get out of the Imperial City and back to adventuring.


End file.
